How to write an essay 2

This page has links to short videos with advice on how to plan and write four common essay types.

Introduction

The video analyses below are based on specific topics - with the exception of the Cause and effect videos , but the advice applies to all essays of that particular type.

There is more advice on and exercises in academic writing in the 100-page Advanced Composition course.

Persuasive essay

The topic exemplified in these video is Should students wear a school uniform?

Introduction [2.55]
Choosing a good essay topic (1) [2.44]
Choosing a good essay topic (2) [2.32]
Note-making with a graphic organizer  [2.06]
Cross-language note-making  [1.39]
Deciding on your thesis [2.16]
Choosing an organizational type [1.33]
Order of sections: Block-by-block  [2.07]
Order of sections: Point-by-point  [1.42]
Getting help to create an outline [4.01]
Introductions, conclusions, topic sentences, etc. [2.07]
Research skills [3.03]
Research: Using Noodletools [3.03]
Intext citations [Interactive aid]
Gerunds: verbs into nouns [2.08]

Cause and effect

Unlike with the other essay types, no specific topic is exemplified in these analyses.

Introduction (Examples of Effects) [1.20]
Essay Examples [1.03]
Examples of Causes [1.01]
Organization by category [1.35]
Organization by importance [0.39]
Organization by chronology 1 [0.55]
Organization by chronology 2 [1.28]
Summary [1.22]

Click for an example of notes taken for an essay "Analyse the causes and effects of the space shuttle disaster".

Compare and contrast

The video analyses are based on a comparison of two film versions The film directed in 1946 by David Lean and the film directed by Alfonso Cuarón in 1998. of Dickens' Great Expectations. Both highly recommended!

Compare and Contrast Essay: An Introduction  [1.56]
Prewriting: Advanced/Graphic organizer  [4.10]
Deciding on your thesis  [1.23]
Essays: basic outline  [0.40]
Understanding the 3 main organizational types  [2.22]
Choosing an organizational type  [1.23]
Body: Basic organizational principle - part 1  [1.10]
Body: Basic organizational principle - part 2  [1.03]
Body: Basic organizational principle - part 3  [2.45]
Body: Parallel structures  [1.22]
Writing tip: Code replace  [2.29]
Writing your introduction, including the thesis statement  [2.15]
Topic sentences: introduction  [1.40]
Topic sentences: Block by main subject  [1.57]
Topic sentences: Block by similarity-difference  [2.00]
Topic sentences: By sub-topic  [1.07]
Writing your conclusion  [3.02]
Final advice and more reading  [2.10]
1946 film version
Great Expectations - modern film version
Image Sources 1946: https://d4804za1f1gw.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2015/11/28183125/greatexpectations.jpeg

1998: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5506c073e4b0f11c1e33194f/1433410417258-HGB5KKJAE1LLUZ7U0AGJ/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kG9djAb9guijkS8N6TFRzVJZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWEtT5uBSRWt4vQZAgTJucoTqqXjS3CfNDSuuf31e0tVHR6RQDLRU1dGtDrP82wpulBASx5hpNYPe9hSkCtr_ZSZaLc42cEyXKgWWW4EvRvPQ/image.jpg

Opinion

The four analyses here are also based on the two film versions of Great Expectations. In this case, the essay requires students to express and justify their preference for one of the versions. Much of the analysis above applies in Opinion essays too.

Pre-writing: Notes [1.38]
Organisational type [1/17]
Introduction paragraph  [2.05]
Conclusion paragraph  [1.12]